Practicing What We Preach: Everyday Solutions for Living a Sustainable Lifestyle

Podcasts Archive | Steven Winter Associates, Inc.

Featuring

Robb Aldrich

Robb focuses on building energy systems: researching new technologies, monitoring performance, and helping practitioners create better, healthier, more efficient buildings.

Maureen Mahle

As Managing Director of the Sustainable Building Services team at Steven Winter Associates, Maureen leads a multi-faceted team dedicated to providing sustainable design and construction consulting for a variety of project types including community developments, residential, commercial, institutional, and mixed-use buildings.

Andrea Foss

As Sustainability Director at Steven Winter Associates and Washington, DC resident, Andrea leads a multi-faceted team dedicated to providing sustainable design and construction consulting for a variety of project types including community developments, residential and mixed-use buildings.

Gayathri Vijayakumar

Gayathri Vijayakumar is a Principal Mechanical Engineer at Steven Winter Associates, Inc, with over 18 years of experience supporting high-performance multifamily buildings. She graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a BS in Engineering Science and from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a MS in Mechanical Engineering and a Graduate Certificate in Energy Policy and Management. Gayathri currently provides technical support to the EPA’s Indoor airPLUS program and ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction programs. She currently is a voting member of the 2024 IECC Residential Consensus Committee and Chair of RESNET’s Standards Development Committee, SDC300.

We talk a lot about sustainability at a large scale; this typically includes large building projects or grid-level issues, like energy affordability and access to renewables. But how about the small-scale? What type of sustainability initiatives are people passionate about in their everyday lives?

To answer this question, Robb assembled a group of sustainability professionals from Steven Winter Associates and asked them to share some best practices for living a more sustainable lifestyle. Each guest responds with one topic they are passionate about and explains how they turned a common challenge into a sustainable solution.

Here’s the breakdown of topics by guest:

• Maureen Mahle – Eliminating combustion and going all-electric [0:03:25]
• Andrea Foss – Water conservation in toilets [0:24:15]
• Robb Aldrich – Walkability and proximity to transit [0:41:10]
• Gayathri Vijayakumar – Duct sealing [0:59:00]

Episode Resources

Eliminating combustion and going all-electric:

Video – Samantha Bee’s take on cooking with gas (with RMI):

• Here’s Why Your Gas Stove is Killing You [YouTube]

Images – Before and after photos of Maureen’s transition to an all-electric home:

Vintage Chambers Gas Range, Model 61C

Wood Burning Fireplace Insert

Combustion-free Induction Range and Faux Fireplace

Walkability and proximity to transit:

SWA Blog – Electric Cars: Are They Better for Your Pocket and the Climate Right NOW?

Factsheet – EPA: Fast Facts on Transportation Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Duct sealing:

Article – More info on Aeroseal and how to find a local contractor to get a quote:

• Aeroseal – Leak Sealing for Clean Air, Comfort, Energy Savings

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About Buildings and Beyond

Buildings and Beyond is the podcast that explores how we can create a more sustainable built environment by focusing on efficiency, accessibility, and health.

Buildings and Beyond is a production of Steven Winter Associates. We provide energy, green building, and accessibility consulting services to improve the built environment. For more information, visit swinter.com.

Hosts: Robb Aldrich | Kelly Westby

Production Team: Heather Breslin | Alex Mirabile | Dylan Martello

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